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Temporal Troubles Chapter III - 1962
Log Title: Temporal Troubles Chapter III - 1962 Characters: * Optimus Prime * Encore * Imager * Spike * Major Bludd * Sit-Com * Windblade Location: 'Cuba, October 22nd - October 24th, 1962 '''Date(s): '''December 28th, 29th, and 30th, 2017 '''TP: 'Once Upon a Joe TP '''Summary: Once again a random group of time travelers is yanked from the present and sent to the past to right the course of history. This time, it is to prevent the Cuban Missile Crisis from becoming WWIII. Cuba, October 22nd, 1962 Another typical day for folks as they go about their daily routines. Out of nowhere electric blue portals open that draw them in. Flying through tunnels that seem infinite, a kaleidoscope of colors flying past them until suddenly they are dropped to the ground. The only clues to where are the sound of waves crashing on the nearby beach and palm trees. It is night with a full moon above. What is clear however is that you are not in Kansas any more Dorothy. Optimus Prime drives along the access road towards the Nevada Desert, having returned from Cybertron to inspect the damage from the attack and determine possible courses of action. No sooner does Metroplex appear in the distance does the portal open, and he is unable to swerve before being drawn through, slamming his brakes and ending up travelling through the tunnel of light as he does, his form changes, and what ends up sliding to a stop in the sand is not an 18 wheeler, but a Skipjack-class nuclear submarine. Encore had been flying at the time, coming back in to land at Autobot City to pick up fresh supplies for the Ark when the portals hit. He transforms and lands as soon as he's got clear air under his wings again, pulsing his engines to ensure it's a (somewhat) gentle touchdown, however his sense of balance is shot to hell so it's more of a tumbling roll. He lands in an even crouch, looking around for friendlies. He sends over the day's ATC frequency. At the dead air he's getting, the big Autobot frowns, pulling out his flask and taking a sup. "Fan feckin' tastic. Now wha'." He runs a quick self-check, realising that he's not packing his Equalizer, but instead a pair of smaller, 20mm gatling guns. The rest of his kit appears mostly unchanged. He broadcasts on the Autobot comm-band instead, hoping to get a reply. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Encore t' anyone on this frequency... tha' hurt. Th'feck's gaen' on?" Spike isn't exactly dressed with the times - his usual jeans and a long-sleeve shirt remain. With the exception of some fairly newly contemporary utility hiking boots. He slams Optimus Prime's brakes instinctively and swerves, but realizing that Prime's actually driving, he catches his breath. "Woah...what the hell was that?!" Spike looks around feverishly. "That wasn't just me who saw that, right?" Sit-Com accidentally drives into one of the groovy swirly portals, coming out looking like a 1960s Harley Davidson. He's a lot louder now. "Grooooovy," he says over the comm channels, "Did everybody get a makeover, or just me?" "Ugh.. my head..." Prime says, as he starts to regain a bit of senses. "What the.." he says as he begins to sense his form. In response to Spike's question, he responds, "You werent' the only one, that's for sure.." Encore and Sit-Com's comm transmissions come over his speakers, and he keys a reply. <> Optimus Prime says, "I read you Encore... this is Prime. I'm not sure what happened... I'm sending a homing signal, see if you can make it to my position." Spike looks around slowly and gulps. "Hold on...just..." He looks around and using his fingernails, digs into his thumb, thinking this has GOT to be a dream. But all it does is make a mark on his thumb. He continues to look around, a lost and bewildered expression comes across his face. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Och aye I go' yez... jes' as a wee warnin', yez might find yersel'... changed. I'm... runnin' a self-check it looks like I've gone from an AC130U Spookeh tae th' Pave Aegis variant, the E... circa 1971. I'm nae gettin a ping offa GPS. I am startin' to ken wha's gaen on, an I dinnae like wha' I ken." Encore looks himself over, frowning slightly at what he's seeing. He unslings what would normally be his 25mm GAU-12... and instead finds it to be a double-cluster of 20mm M61s. He frowns, slings it, and then draws his Bofors instead. He scowls, slinging it and taking a few running steps. His wings extend and he leaps into the air, engines snarling to haul him up to something resembling flight-speed before he transforms. Bastards! He's even lost the Rolls-Royce engines he prefers, finding himself instead bearing the stock Alison engines. Bastards. A happy scotsmech he is not as he growls towards Prime's location, giving a status update over the radio. <> Optimus Prime says, "I'm beginning a sweep of radio frequencies... maybe we can pick up at least some transmissions, anything to get some explanation about where we are." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore mutters something in sour that sounds vagely like 'y'feckin well mean when we are...' <> Spike says, "Okay...so...we were driving...that much I know, and then all of a sudden... there was a blast of light - What the hell..." <> Optimus Prime says, " It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union." Spike squints and shakes his head. "That...that CAN'T be..." <> Spike says, "This...okay, this HAS to be like an archive thing...because that's John F. Kennedy!" Encore cruises towards Prime, scanning through the radio frequencies as he goes. He keeps low, frowning. He picks up the same broadcast as Prime, frowning. "Och, yer shittin' me..." he mutters to himself. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Oh, feckin'..." <> Sit-Com says, "Do not attempt to adjust your television set. We control the horizontal. We control the vertical." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Prime, y'should be seein' me in a couple minutes, I'm nae far" <> Spike mumbles "This has GOT to be the most convincing history display I've ever come across in my life." <> Optimus Prime says, "I'm seeing you on my sensors, Encore. Spike, it might be best if I transform, I think there is a hatch nearby you can use to get out." Sit-Com does a few donuts and wheelies in his modded altmode, then circles around back to where Optimus and Encore are. "Chief, izzat you?" he wonders. Sit-Com folds down into his Junkcycle Mode. Vroom, vroom! <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Spike. I'm nae getting ANYTHING from th' usual sattelites. I'm nae getting anythin' encrypted off Ruskie or Cobra sattelites, th' sky is feckin' /empty/... correction... oh, feck nae..." The telltale 'Shnnkkkkkk-crrrkkkkkk' of a portal opens up in mid air. It dumps out a large vehicle of some sort that hits a large shore rock right in the chassis, then falls over onto the sand upside down. The vehicle of note is a large, bulky Earth-designed sort what might be called a ballast tractor, with thick curving plates of pure steel. After about eight seconds, headlights flicker on. <<> The tires spin as a combustion motor roars. And then she sees it, the ocean, about 10 yalms away from her. <> Brakelights come on, though naturally the vehicle is still upside down Spike searches for an escape hatch and gets out as soon as he can. He stumbles out of Prime and gets his footing. Spike sees the falling form out of the sky and runs the opposite direction, even though he's reasonably far away. But he still hears the 'boom' - and feels it. "Holy shit!' <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "I got -naethin- on my comms. Nae noise... jes' local shortwave" Once Spike is out, Prime begins to transform, the submarine breaking apart. He looks nothing like himself, except for the face. "This is... a rather strange phenomenon." he says, looking at his changed hands. "So we know when we are.. the question is where.. and why." he says, looking around. As Imager arrives, he steps back a pace. "It seems whatever is happening, it's not through yet." Sand and dust and exhaust fill the area for several seconds more before the ballast tractor shifts mode, turning and splitting into a more Imager-friendly look. She sits on her hands and knees for several moments, then instinctively shies away from the water. Slowly, she scans the area and stands up, dusting herself off. Comically, the words 'Heavy Haulage' appear on her torso from the altmode's paintjob. She wordlessly looks around. "Perceptor do this?" She turns to the side to get her bearings, "Brainstorm, maybe?" Imager turns away from the assembled group, revealing that on her back the words 'Wide Load' appear near her hips. "Just...Just tell me who to hit." Encore transforms and lands near Prime, his wings remaining spread as he pulses his engines to land heavily near the group. He appears mostly the same himself, although pretty much every part of him seems to be a less-advanced version, and a lot of his advanced targeting sensors are missing. He lights a cobalt-lithium cigar and looks around. "I'm starting tae get an idea, boss, and I dinnae like what I'm starting tae ken one wee bit." He sits down on a handily large rock, ticking things off his fingers. "Not a feckin' sattelite in the sky tha' I can pick up. Nae commsats, nae GPS, nae military spy sats, nae space stations, nae a fuck. Th' skies are clear, boss. Second, we jes' picked up JFK's posturin' aboot the Cuban Missile Crisis. Third, we're all in altmodes Circa 1960-1970. What's tha' tell yez?" Encore tactfully doesn't remark on Imager's paint. He himself is wearing a more US-suitable paintscheme for the era, save the Autobot decals. Decals he's sorely considering hiding with the US markigns of the right era.... Optimus Prime nods. "The evidence is strong that we have been transported to an earlier era. I recall something similar happening a few years back to others, except that was to 1944, as General Hawk related to me. Their why was to stop a Decepticon from changing history... what have we been brought for?" Spike looks around and says wearily "Well, as far as I know, history-wise, if we are when we think we are - then this was the time where the Earth was the closest it came to nuclear war." Encore frowns "Fecken' fantastic." He growls, offering around a flask to the Autobots. After a pause, he ferrets through his various smuggling pouches and then hands over a bottle of beer for Spike. Imager looks back to the others, then starts to stomp forward, her footsteps muffled by the sand. She puts a hand on her hip joint, then takes a look at the Big Bot. A grimace hits her face, "Ehhhh......Boss?" She makes a display of examining Optimus' new altmode. "Theres uh........thats uhmmmm..." She puts a hand to her mouth, then coughs as she can't find anything nice to say about the new look. Her gaze moves to Encore, Sit-Com, and Spike. "Oh uh....so uh.....we're...in the past ya say? So like how many million years?" Her gaze turns to Spike a bit more in a sidelong glance, already a bit concerned. Spike takes a beer and nods. "I think it'll take something a lot stronger than that to digest what the hell is happening." He looks at Prime, Imager, and Encore. "But...for all of the posturing that I heard about this was as close as we came to the end of the world, they say that while on the surface, both the Soviets and the United States were rattling their sabers at one another, on the back-end, there were secret talks between the two to end the conflict, so...neither side was itchin' to pull the trigger..." He adds "So...we have that going for us, right?" Spike looks on in alarm. "Oh wait! I mean, what if you guys are like...detected?! What if people see you in your robot mode, and they fear that you guys are either doing the United States' or Russia's bidding?!" Imager looks at Spike's proclamation, then admits after a bit of a blank look, "Okay I don't know who either of those guys are. If we're in the past, I vote we go to the Ark and Slag the Slagmaker before he wakes up." Spike nods and says to Imager "We're like on 1962 I think...which is obviously, like 55 or so years ago." Encore shakes his head "Nae a few million. 'boot fifty, from th' current date." He nods to Spike. "Aye, wha' he said. I'm thinkin' o swappin oot mah Autobot decals fer USAF, 'cause it's pretty clear I'm a Yank gunship frame." Optimus Prime nods to Spike. "That is what is recorded in your history books, and what should happen. Though I believe we should be observant of any possible changes that could alter that." he says, nodding to Spike's point about their appearance. "We must remain hidden as much as possible, stay in vehicle modes if possible when others could be around." He then looks to Imager, and shakes his head. "A tempting thought, but a grave risk. What if by doing so, we prevent our own awakening? There are too many factors... tugging the threads of time recklessly can be risky." Spike nods and says nervously "Yeah...I mean, so...on the surface, yeah, it looks like World War 3 is looming, but behind the scenes, both the Soviets and the US are trying to iron out something that makes them BOTH look good in the end." He adds "BUT...that might go out the window if either of them see that some new super-robots are roaming the Earth - both will likely think you guys are doing the 'enemies' bidding." Her eyes flash, "ohhhhh, I see...okay. Now just to be clear...the One guys are sorta the Decepticons because they're evil, and we're more like the Russia then?" She doesn't wait for Spike's reply, "Okay, So we don't want to rattle anyone. Yeah, okay." She gives a nod to herself at the Big Bot's decision, "Yeah, I mean we can just get to Mt St. Hilary, and shutdown for 200 years or sssssssssss...." Her eyes turn back to Spike, "Ooooooooohhhhhhhhh." Her words draw out, "Kaaaaaaayyyyy....so thats not...as much of a possibility...as we would....like." She actually sucks intake in audibly with a grimace. The entire dalliance of her hopping into the Ark, dancing around all the depowered Bots and Cons, and maybe some rather enjoyable prevenge, it all just disappears in a puff of continuity. Encore shakes his head "Nae, tha' wouldnae work. We're... no' zactly ourselves yet, aye? Prime's a Skipjack nukeboat, I've stepped back several models, and yae, lass..." He laughs. "Check yer six, aye?" Spike frowns and looks around, thinking around. "I mean...it's remote, it SHOULD be a good place to crash." He adds "And I don't think that there's anything we could do environmentally that would prevent the earthquake that triggered the volcano that awoke you guys in 1984." Encore nods "Aye, but there'll be two of us there, Spike." And then there's another blue flash in the sky, and a vintage F101A Voodoo Recon Fighter flies overhead. However, unlike most USAF fighters... this one has a brilliant scarlet and blue paint about it. Then it suddenly banks down and transforms near the ground, Windblade looking around in confusion, "Well... at least this isn't a space bridge malfunction. Er, or is it?" When she spots Optimus standing there, her eyes go a bit wide, "Um..." The jet does a quick flip in midair, wings folding back and legs and arms extending from the fuselage to reveal Windblade! Optimus Prime nods. "Until we know more about where we are, and why, we had best stay put. This beach seems rather deserted; I am not picking up any human activity nearby." he says, just as Windblade appears. "This phenomenon certainly isn't done yet.." he notes. "We'll keep our comms open and monitor the local transmissions. Perhaps we'll pick up something useful." He then looks to Windblade. "Not a malfunction, sadly, but it appears we have been drawn backwards in time." Spike looks in his pocket, just out of curiosity. He pulls out his wallet and examples his driver's license. Still a very much futuristic ID - complete with weird, 2018-style lettering - the few $20s he has in his pocket have the watermark and the nice counterfeit-preventing 'band'. If he's caught, that ID would look like a prop from a sci-fi movie. <> Imager says, "so how far back are we?" <> Spike says, "55 years - from 'current,' Imager" <> Imager says, "55 sols? Pffft, I can do that standing on my head, but uhhhh.....we got a squi...erm Humie with us that might not be doing so well just by shutdown....I mean unless the Ark had a cryogenic shutdown matrix that works" <> Spike says, "Thanks, Imager...but I'm thinking...let's assume this stuff is temporary - it was before. Although I wasn't with you guys when that happened." <> Imager says, "OH....ah....yes, I totally remembered you have access to this channel, hah....hah....yes, let us hope it is temporary" <> Spike says, "Yeah...hello - *laughs*" Windblade blinks at that, and seems less fazed at being drawn back in time than the fact that she's in the presence of a Prime. Okay, not one of the original 13, but /still/... she ahems a bit, "Oh, okay. Well, that's not too unusual, save that we should try not to cause things to deviate from history." She looks down at Spike, "Which it sounds like you were talking about?" She pauses, "I wonder if this is a side effect of warping space with a space bridge, if these are common occurrences or not." Imager gives Encore a quizzical look, she looks at her shoulder, noting the big black bumper there. "Hey..." The next few moments are spent with her comically trying to read the wording on her back that declares 'Wide Load'. Finally she gives up, and puts a hand back to her head, "I just want to go on record that I'd really like to be as far away from that deathliquid as possible." She obviously means the nearby sea. "So....OKAY!" Her hands clap together with a loud clang! "I got it! We send a message FORWARD by...I dunno, an electronic packet that'd let CURRENT US know that WE..PAST US.." She looks over to Encore, "Try to keep up, right? Anyway, we have PAST US tell CURRENT US that we're stuck in the PAST, and then Perceptor and Brainstorm will do something." Spike says nervously "Okay...well, YOU guys are concerned about not altering human history, but I'm willing to bet none of the Decepticons are worried about this, and they'll have NO problem transforming into their robotic forms." Imager responds matter-of-factly, "Well the good news is that every last one of them are idiots." Spike adds "Which, will likely send both the US and Russia into a panic." He grins and says nervously "So, we just gotta hope that none of them come here, right?" "We can only hope." Prime says. "Our best option is to listen and observe, and remain out of sight until we know more." Spike nods. "Done...done...and done." Windblade nods, "Should I go airborne and do some recon? I might be able to snoop on their frequencies and see what's going on." She looks over at Spike, "Want to ride with me? You might recognize something I wouldn't." Spike says in a grim, determine tone "We gotta get back soon, not just by writing a note and hoping it gets to Preceptor or Brainstorm." He looks over at Windblade. "Sure - thanks." He adds "As an American, I probably am not too welcome here right now." Windblade leaps into the air, twisting and transforming into a scarlet jet. Spike adds to Windblade "Maybe we can even find a place for all of us to crash." Windblade's voice echoes from her jet mode, "Sounds like a good idea, Spike." She pops her canopy open for him to climb in, then she says to Optimus, "Anything else I should do, aside from listening in and finding a good spot to lay low?" Spike's commends actually sort of snaps Imager to her senses, "Oh...." Its a rarity, but concern is noted. "Yer maker needs medicine...." She manages a nod, "Yeah...okay, we have the letter thing as a fallback, but..Okay yeah...we find another way." She looks around as Windblade takes back to the air, "Oh uh...oh hey! I know. I'll use my holograms to help cover us up while you go...." Her tone trails off a bit, "while you go show up on...humie radar...." "Lay low, and try to stay inconspicous if possible." Prime says, looking to Imager. "Yes, a hologram would be an excellent idea to increase our camoflauge." Spike grins and says timidly "Well, the 'goal' is to not show up on radar, right?" <> Imager says, "Yeah, that's what I was tryin to say" <> Imager says, "Encore" <> Spike says, "And maybe this is just a weird dream, one of you dipped into Encore's 'special reserve' and this is just a hallucination."" <> Optimus Prime says, "To be honest, I wish I was suffering a bender from his special reserve..." <> Imager says, "Encore, you've had an Earth altmode and you're a flier, you got any insight as to humie tech levels at about this time, so ole Windblade can avoid detection?" <> Imager says, "well it can't be me suffering from somethin, because I've got a galactic class fuel-filtration intake, Encore's best can't bring me down. *bragging*" Windblade says, with a bit of excitement, "You bet, Optimus Prime!" She hmms, "If I stay low enough there shouldn't be a problem avoiding the radar." She pauses, then frowns, "I guess I'm used to vertical takeoff this way... buckle up Spike!" And with that, she flies off, staying very low to the ground. <> Windblade says, "Well, if I stay low enough to the ground, I shouldn't get picked up by radar..." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Stay low, dinnae get pinged on radar. Gae as fast as y'can." Optimus Prime nods. "For now, I'm going to conserve power, and keep my radio open." he says, laying back onto the sand. "Hopefully whatever brought us here will reveal the path forward in due time." Spike gives an appreciative nod and buckles up for Windblade. As the canopy closes, he looks around, still feeling like he needs to play the role of the 'welcomer' to the newly-arrived Windblade. "So...uh...this is...1962. Which...looks a lot different than the place where you arrived about a month ago." <> Windblade says, "Fast? Oh, I can do /fast/..." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "And Imager, lass, one would think tha's a challenge. Hide your Autobot markings... pick a sneakier colour scheme." <> Imager says, "okay, so in the meantime we can find a spot that is NOT next to deathliquid to hole up" <> Imager says, "Encore...I didn't decide ANY of this....weird yet strangely satisfying altmode" <> Imager says, "I have no idea why I got reformatted at all" <> Windblade says, "Well, I like mine... but I miss my VTOL abilities." <> Spike says, "Damn it, I would say 'I can just 'Google' 'abandoned power places' to find a place to lay low, but ... there's no 'Google.'"" <> Imager says, "I mean most of my reformats have been externally administered. So maybe this time thingie had our alt-scanners trigger by sheer programming?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Och... aye. Um. Windblade, lass, darken up. An' put US markings on." Windblade hrmmms, flying fast and low as she says, "Alright, how so Spike? I mean, this looks mostly the same as it was before." With that, she starts tuning into radio frequencies, "Oooh, here we go. Something with triple-binary encryption, must be a military frequency, let's see what they're saying..." <> Windblade says, "Oh, good point. I'll take care of that." <> Imager says, "okay, so if I can run this by you Encore" <> Imager says, "and I'm by no means an earth expert" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "I'm list'nin. I'm nae much of an expert on anythin', lass, 'cept I ken nae a lot aboot a hell of a lot." <> Imager says, "but I'm surmising this whole 'united states' and 'russia' thing is pretty tense, and maybe I'm wrong, but this particular place doesn't seem to map up with what I am familiar with for the 'united states' continent...so....I mean...." <> Imager says, "wouldn't someting having USA markers sorta denote an invasion of this place?" <> Optimus Prime says, "That is a good point, and stresses that you avoid detection at all costs." <> Imager says, "like the exact opposite of what we're trying to do?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Hm. Aye, but it'll be a wee bit less suspicious than, ahem, alien markings." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "And there was... I remember something aboot a US invasion of somewhere in this area, kinda went a wee bit tits up if I ken wha' I ken right..." <> Imager says, "I am not familiar with that term" Encore paces and ponders, smoking his cigar. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Tits up? hah. Well, it basically means 'it didnae go ver' well.'" <> Imager says, "to be fair, Encore, I'm sure it wasn't really important, and even if it was, we've got seven eons of history to worry about of our own without even tagging alien cultures" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "It was in a wee place called th' Bay of Pigs... anyone pickin' up Spanish-language radio?" Imager projects a rocky extension to the outcropping nearby to help cover the Bots temporary shelter. <> <> Imager says, "wait, Earthers speak different languages? How messed up is that?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Y'didnae ken?" <> Imager answers blankly as if she didn't understand the accent, "uh huh." <> Windblade says, "Wait what? They do? I thought that was like, fiction or something." <> Imager says, "exactly!" <> Windblade says, "Well, I can speak Klingon after watching all the Star Trek episodes... not sure how much that helps right now though." <> Imager says, "uh...okay also, don't take this the wrong way, but uhhhh........what's your designation there....flying Femme?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Och. Well, aye, they allus have. An' diff'ren dialects tae..." <> Windblade says, "Oh, I'm Windblade. I'm a Cityspeaker." <> Imager says, "....okay. That....is....something...we might...need?" <> Imager says, "I'm a former Maestro, I'm pretty certain that's NOT needed now." <> Windblade says, "Yes, I've met Metroplex already. We've been talking. Even after the attack." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore grumbles quietly. October 24th, 1962 Two days have passed while the time travellers have listened, waited, and done their best to stay out of sight of the locals. Meanwhile, the news reports the group have intercepted have so far followed recorded history. After John F Kennedy's announcement of the blockade, United States Navy ships have taken up positions to prevent Russian cargo ships from passing the blockade carrying ICBMs, stopping and searching freighters and turning back any that have been found to be carrying missiles. The tensions between the United States and Russia are reaching a fever pitch, and the situation is hair trigger. Optimus Prime has propped himself up against a palm tree, currently watching the peaceful waves of the sea as they crash upon the shore. "Such a contrast to what is going on out there." he observes. Encore has been stood on guard of the Autobot's encampment. He looks over at Prime, his Bofors rifle held casually in hand. "Aye." He agrees, looking out to sea, lighting a stogie. "Any luck fig'rin why we're here?" He looks up a moment with a slight frown "Ge' back under cover. Nother of them 'Merican spy planes is on its way." He points at a distant contrail making its way slowly towards them, hinting at a U2 at the edge of space. Imager has made it well known how much she hates the sea, she talks about it all the time. With a suspicious frown, she says, "Don't let it fool you. It LOOKS nice, but its just waiting for you to mess up. It'll seep into your system when you're not considering it a threat, right through your quad-layered elendium armor, and then short circuit you....and then when that's not enough." She grumps, "it'll start coming from the sky." Her gripe for the moment out, she shifts her sitting position, a hand on her kneejoint. "So uh....I mean I've got me one of them hypothetical questions. We're here and we've been talkin' bout how we shouldn't tip the scale, and let things calm down, but...." She picks up a rock, her eyes fixed on the ocean, "What if we did something to STOP the thing from turnin into a war? What if we showed up, and these Cuba guys they say 'whoa, does the States guys have giant, badaft, fightin Femmes on their side? We'd better rethink what we're doin.' and then we're like 'whoa dude, slow your roll, maybe you just not fire missiles and we don't gotta do stuff.', and mebbe they accept." <> Imager says, "why are you assumin that we're here for a reason?" <> Optimus Prime says, "I doubt this is an accident. We must be patient." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Wha' th' Bossman said." <> Imager says, "well that goes right back to the idea that the reason we're here is to stop this thing from happening." <> Imager says, "but pardon my Junkion, "Frag Destiny"" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Do yae WANT to see this planet nuked to a wee glowing ball, yae silly bampot?" Major Bludd has been through the unwilling time travel ordeal before, so when the air around him crackles and shifts to a deep blue colour, his response is an inner sigh and the though, 'Oh, no, not again.' In a moment his surroundings change, lurching him from a comfortable place on the couch in a home in Los Angeles to the Cuban shore. The portal deposits him unceremoniously into the water several metres from the beach. He surfaces, spluttering. <> Imager says, "pfft no, some of my stuff is here! Yer missin the point" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "This whole situation is a knife-edge, lass. We tip th' balance in favour of either side and th' balloon goes up!" <> Optimus Prime says, "History is history. Imagine if time travellers interfered with Cybertronian history. We might not even exist, or perhaps worse, The Decepticons could have been given an advantage and Cybertron was ultimately plundered and destroyed." <> Imager says, "if we're here for a reason, then us doing nothing isn't what we're here for, right?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "If I remember mah history, everything DEPENDS on this bein' a stalemate. We cannae shift the balance o' pooer either way or someone'll light the blue touchpaper." <> Imager says, "but what if we're what keeps it from tippin the scales?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "I just think we should actually ken wha' we're daen before we act." <> Optimus Prime says, "That is a possibility, but we must be certain of what we are doing before we take that step." <> Imager says, "what if we, being all sneaky and robots in disguise, is what stopped things from gettin worse and nobody reported us because Mt St Hilary hasn't blown yet, and nobody believes in us" <> Imager says, "so the way I see it, either you can't change the past, or you're forced to change the past, and frankly both options suck." <> Imager says, "this entire thing is giving me robo-angst" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Aye." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Wait, y'hear tha'?" <> Imager says, "uhhhhh.....no?" Optimus Prime looks at the arriving Bludd. "The phenomenon apparently truly is not finished yet, is it?" he says, waving for the human to join their encampment on the beach. As he does, he suddenly goes quiet. "Wait... I'm getting something.. some sort of low power local transmission. This isn't a news broadcast.." He listens, and his face grows grave. "It is in Spanish, but I am translating. Give me a moment... oh my word." he says, as he taps into his comm and has a translated version play so the others can hear it: Gruff Male Voice: Fernando, is everything in readiness? I am only using a few watts so the Americans do not pick up our plans." Deep Male Voice: All is in readiness. The boat is ready, and my men have loaded it with 50,000 pounds of TNT. The Russian freighter Moskava is approaching the blockade. Our timing must be precise; the detonation should cause the ship to sink rapidly, and within sight of the American vessels. We want the Russians to blame the sinking on the blockade. We will end this stalemate." Gruff Male Voice: True. But what if the Russians launch the missiles? Deep Male Voice: That is not our concern. Our fatherland will remain, Russia will remain, the United STates will be eradicated. Glory to the revolution! Deep Male Voice: Yes. It is sad that our glorious leader shall never know, for it is better if he remains unaware of our gift to him. Prime stops the transmission. "If these humans do what they plan, it could very well tip the balance as you say, Imager. I believe we now have our goal... this must be stopped." Encore 's head appears from a the middle of a rocky outcropping near Bludd. Then vanishes. Encore nods as he listens to Prime. "Aye..." He agrees, looking over at Bludd. "Och. You're th' laddie who helped oot the Joes in LA aren' yez?" He says. He smirks. "Mah database got yez pegged as Cobra, tae. Guess it needs updating, aye? Welcome to th' 60s. Hippie season, och, and by th' way, the heart o' th' Cuban Missile Crisis." Imager squints, as Encore and Prime both note the figure in the wake. Why would she be looking for things IN the deathliquid? That makes no SENSE! IT KILLS YOU. As Prime starts to beckon over the humie, Imager kinda sideeyes towards nobody, and lets the hologram about the trio drop, so Bludd can note them chilling up against a outcropping. "Uhhh..." She says cleverly. "So...wait....." She doodles in the sand, putting it together as she murmurs "So there's someone wanting to fake a sunk ship, to spur things on...but the 'Ruzzans' don't know that its happening. Sooooo........that's not good. Okay...." She pauses for a moment, barely paying the humie any mind at the moment, "so we stop that, thats.....cool...I guess, but....I mean, I'm guessing that this transport thingie is probably...." She drags out the phrase, as dread fills her processor, "not....airborne...." In a foreboding look, she stares to the sea. Bludd swims to shore, taking in the sight of giant robots on the beach. "No time travel trip is complete without giant space robots, it seems," he mutters as he comes ashore. He stands there, frowning as he listens to the radio transmission. He lifts his gaze to Encore, an eyebrow quirking upward. "How d'you know about that?" he asks, in reference to his aiding of the Joes in L.A. He frowns at the rest of the information. "Well, less of a mystery this time round, I suppose." He pauses, scratching his beard thoughtfully. "Cuban Missile Crisis... that was early sixties." He glances to Optimus Prime, not recognising his form but knowing his voice all too well. "Have you got a plan, then?" Optimus Prime nods to Bludd, standing up and putting a hand to his chin. "From the sound of the transmission, they have not launched yet. If we can pin point the location of their boat, perhaps we can stop them before they launch. That would be the better option, for we would minimize risk of the explosion being detected by the blockade. However, as a stand by, I can use my.. ahem.. new form to submerge a short way from shore, and sink their boat if they launch. If we take this from two angles thus, we may be able to ensure success. We must avoid harming them... I will not see a human life taken. However, we must disrupt their plans. I seem to recall reading about pre-destination paradoxes... perhaps we are in one. Our arrival, and stopping this plot, could be part of the natural flow of history as the humans know it." <> Imager says, "Uhhhhh Big Boss.....why are we trusting a Con-friendly humie?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "'Cause he's go' jes' as much interest in humans as we are. 'Sides, from wha' Chance told me, he's nae 'zactly Con-friendly anymore."" Encore smirks "I go' mates. S'prisin' who y'talk to when you've signed on tae help 'em oot with CAS. Dinnae do much a' th' moment, but still, I got mates in the Joes. A feller wit' a dog, he's mates with most o' the Suicide Jockeys." He stays quiet, listening to Prime and nodding. "I'll ge' into th' air an' star' scannin'. I should stay low though an' nae get picked up, right? I can rain hell on th' boat tae." <> Optimus Prime says, "If my memory serves, Bludd was one of those who was part of the last time this phenomenon occurred. He worked with the Joes, and perhaps it is better that he is here, for he can give us more guidance on what is happening." <> Imager says, "okay, I didn't really recognize him, if you're game to trust him, I guess I am" <> Imager says, "Encore?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Aye?" <> Imager says, "you got the big cannons and all, that mean you're good at demo as well? I figured you might have some good insight here as to what can be done" Imager gives Major Bludd a suspicious look, her hands on her kneejoints. The Major can easily tell she's preferring to talk on comms channels rather than in front of him. "I wanna know..." She shifts her bulk forward, "what you were doin when you got drawn in here..." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Weee-eeeell... it dinnae 'zactly work like tha'... 50,000lb of TNT's nae tha' big a boat, yer average 80ft boat coul' take tha'. Coupla good hits with a 105 or a decent torpedo would blow a boat like tha' tae matchwood, especially if we could touch off th' cargo." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "With tha' much bang, jes' touch the cargo off, trus' me. Oh, and gi' yerself long enough to get REALLY far away 'cause it's gonna go with a proper pop." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "If th' boat's still small'nuff tae be called a 'boat' nae a 'ship', there won' be a bit bigger'n a centimetre or two." <> Imager says, "yeah but...if we blow it up, we'd have to make real sure that it doesn't get seen otherwise this plan's going to work, right?" <> Imager says, "I was hoping you might know a way to keep it from explodin" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Hm. Well, tha' rules out hitt'n 'em wit' almost every weapon if they're in a light boat. We'll ha' tae get in and put holes in it wi'oot blowing it up." Bludd frowns at Encore. "I guess it's my own fault for revealing who I was. The Joe I worked with told me he wouldn't tell anybody else it was me." He sighs quietly. "An' I imagine it won't make a lick of difference whether or not Cobra already knows what I've been up to if we don't fix this ... issue." He nods to Prime. "Nipping it in the bud would be the simpler option," he says, gazing off into the distance. "What's the date, anyway? I was a kid when this happened. I don't remember anything about it from the time." At Imager's comment, he glances to her sharply. "I was sittin' on the couch, takin' a rare moment ta do nothin' at all. L.A. might be freed from Cobra, but it ain't a picnic ta live in, what with crazy bikers an' other malcontents runnin' about." His irritation at the inquiry shows in his diction, as his native Aussie drawl takes over momentarily. <> Imager says, "so what were you two doin when this portal thingie got ya?" Encore laughs "Dinnae worry, he didnae tell anyone. But, well, th' other Joes give a description. I'm a barkeep. I remember descriptions." He waves a hand dismissively to Bludd. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Linin' up on Autobot City's main runway after deliverin' supplies to th' Ark. One minute I've got th' VASI showin two white two red an' the next my arse is to th' sky an' it's the summer o' love." Spike steps out of the shadow of Prime's boots and hands Bludd a copy of a newspaper (which obviously shows the date). "I found this in the garbage yesterday, when I had to find something to eat." <> Optimus Prime says, "Spike and myself were driving to Autobot City so I could inspect the damages after travelling back to Earth from Cybertron. One minute the city appears on the horizon, the next I am a submarine sliding down this beach." Imager says defensively, "I wasn't doin anything important either...so...all of us were in the vicinity of AC..." She looks back to Bludd, "within 500 malms of it at least, but there were a lot of Bots and peeps runnin around that weren't sucked in either." She turns to the Bots, "And we all get reformatted in transit...." <> Imager says, "What gets me is the auto-reformat. I mean, I don't even have a log of it. I'm startin to believe that someone DID pick us to be here" <> Spike says, "Yeah..but hopefully not STAY here." <> Imager says, "I mean we got uhhh..................Sub...tamus Prime....and Encore can fly.... Spike and this other humie, they can blend in with the others iffin need be" <> Imager says, "so....I mean, do we want to just sink this ship and evac the crew or find a way to not let the TeeEnnnTee explode?" Encore laughs "Dinnae worry, he didnae tell anyone. But, well, th' other Joes give a description. I'm a barkeep. I remember descriptions." He waves a hand dismissively to Bludd. "If ever y'on Cybertron swing past my bar, I serve everyone." He smiles. He watches Spike, nodding at what Imager says. "Aye. I've been reverted to th' E-model... an' I'm nae sure I should be seen in it. Th' model didnae fly until '70." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "I dinnae think we should be havin' this discussion where th' other humie cannae here. It's his his'ry tae." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "*hear" <> Spike says, "Yeah, unfortunately, I have an Oregon driver's license, and I'm guessing right now, at this very day, they're not too keen on having Americans here."" Imager muses, "Well...lets say someone DOES see you. So they assume that you're a prototype." Encore nods thoughtfully "I c'n probably hide mah guns wit' holograms. A' first glance I'll be a C130... still obviously 'Merican though." Bludd smiles at Encore, amused by the invitation and seemingly satisfied with his explanation. He accepts the newspaper from Spike. "22nd October," he reads off the paper's somewhat soggy front page. "1962. Hm." He glances back to Imager. "This is the third time this has happened to me." He looks around briefly. "And it doesn't look like anybody else in that house got brought along for the ride. Usually the robots... er, Cybertronians, get changed up somehow. When I got grabbed back to Sutter's Mill in 1848, the one Autobot who got pulled in with us was changed into a human." Spike looks at Bludd and says with a degree of urgency, "So, in all likelihood, this..." He makes a small circular gesture around where he's at "Is most likely going to be temporary, we'll be back in our 'proper' timeline sooner than later?" "Imager, I am aware of your dislike for water, so I believe I have a task you can perform that can use your current form. Spike and Bludd, you can join her and drive to the base once Encore has pinpointed the location. If you can distract the crew to abandon the boat, then Encore can destroy it from above, perhaps first stunning the crew so that you can load them up and deposit them in a safe place to wake up, hopefully considering what happened to be a bad dream. Meanwhile, I can take position out to sea to prepare a torpedo as a last resort." Prime says. "I believe this will let us use the assets we have on hand, and hopefully accomplish the mission that would appear to have been placed before us." Spike looks at Major Bludd and frowns slightly. He's not much into working with Cobra. And for someone like Major Bludd's accomplished record, the mechanic who doubles as an aspiring ambassador feels like of out of his league. "Fine..." "If we fix what we were brought here to fix, yes," Bludd tells Spike. "Optimus seems to have it that we're to prevent something that will change the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis as we know them." He nods to the aforementioned mech as Prime speaks. "That sounds quite doable," he says. Encore nods "So long as things go how they should. I think we oughta sink th' boat, wit'oot blowin it tae flinders if we can help it." He listens to Prime's plan. "We want it oot tae sea before it blows. Quite a long way oot tae sea. Otherwise, we'll be flattenin' a bug bit of th' local area an' diggin' a bug hole." Imager huffs just for a moment as Prime talks about her downside in front of a Humie...and Spike, but Spike's cool apparently. She actually starts to vocalize indignantly, but stops herself. Despite all of her grumbling, the Big Bot has her trust. She slouches a bit, "Erm....Okay. So...uhm, Spike and Bludd they go and help roust up anyone below decks, so we can get the boat cleaned out." She manages a grimace, "Thats uh....pretty dangerous work....an Encore, mebbe you can keep an eye for the guy plannin this detonation? He's probably gonna be watchin the whole thing, right? Especially with the low-grade humie tech. We wouldn't want him detonating that early." <> Imager says, "so Encore, ya figure that he's got like a radio transmission or a timer or what for this big ole shipment of kaboom?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Pro'ly, unless he's a kamikaze. Je's gimme th' word an' I'll get airborne." <> Optimus Prime says, "Let's get started. I hope the sooner that we stop this madness, the sooner that whatever brought us here will see fit to bring us home." Spike gulps, he's not exactly in his element here. No Autobots to fix. No Crosscut to guide him through a diplomatic process. He breathes out and looks at Major Bludd. "I'm assuming there's a plan?" Imager kneels, her armored frame splitting apart to form a heavy grey hovercraft, complete with solar array. Encore gets his call and nods to Bludd, tossing him a small hand-held radio. He turns towards the water, his wings extending from their moth-like folding as he takes several running steps and his engines flaring into life. He transforms as soon as he's got enough speed, his guns shimmering into almost-invisibility under a holographic camouflage. His Autobot sigils are also masked, replaced with era-appropriate USAF markings. He doesn't get much height though, staying low to the waves to behave like a spyplane. Imager nods, then transforms, turning into...a Ballast Tractor!? The words 'Heavy Haulage' and 'Wide Load' are stenciled on the front. <> Her tires twist and turn as she sinks into the sand on one side. Her review mirrors wiggle as well, lights flashing as she speaks <> <> A few moments later the bed of the tractortruck shifts, raising up a small solar panel on an adjustable angle. <> Doors fly open and sand is kicked up as she hits the gas and then slaps on the brakes within twenty feet. Optimus Prime steps out into the water, walking out until he disappears under the water. Once under, he transforms into his submarine form and starts to head eastward. "Eastward along the coast. Given that they have a boat, I would presume they are near the shoreline, or at most a waterway a short ways inland." "Well, that depends on what we know and what we can find out," Bludd says to Spike. "If they've got as much TNT as they say, it's surely not a simple little rowboat." He chuckles. "I'm not up to speed on naval vessels of this time, but perhaps a PT boat or something similar." He catches the radio tossed to him by Encore, then goes on, "Going to depend on how many crew there are as to how we go about it." Spike looks on in alarm as Optimus Prime begins to disappear into the water "Prime!...be careful!" Spike nods and follows Bludd. "Which...makes your knowledge about boats about ten times likely my knowledge." He sighs "All I know about this crisis are from the articles I've read about it - about how it was essentially solved behind closed doors on both sides, in a way that both sides could save face and not appear like they backed down from one another." Bludd chuckles at Spike as he heads toward Imager in her vehicular form. "That's politics for you." He opens the ballast tractor's right side door, smiling as he finds the steering wheel there. He climbs up into the tractor. "I'm glad to be a soldier, not a politician." The big "C130" continues to head towards the east, staying low and fast as he scans for a suspicious boat. Spike gets into the passenger side and smirks "I'm fine being a mechanic and just cleaning up everyone's mess." As Encore flies westward, he spots a ramshackle structure built just 50 yards from the beach on a small river that empties into the sea. Beside it is a large boat, what appears to be an old Russian Komar class missile boat, with most of the missiles removed and the structures modified to hold more cargo. It bobs in the river next to a old dock. Two people can be seen on the dock itself, apparently conversing. Imager shudders as Optimus takes to the water, <> The wheel turns on its own as Imager putters up. The heavy tractor starts to jostle, as she touches the uneven ground. <> She announces, as the tractor bumps, <> She checks the curb as the gas starts to pour on, causing the ride to shift. <> She swerves as she takes to the left side of the road, which is distinctly the wrong thing to do. <> The tractor passes back into the right lane, avoiding an onbound chicken truck, << I want to say five million years ago? But that was just a dare!, hah hah!>> As the trio move, she drops two tires in the dirt on a turn, causing some dirt to kick up, <> A weak hork kicks up as she comes up behind a troop carrier, filled with soldiers, <> Pothole. <> The windshield washers go off as she lurches along, gabbing and driving haphazardly. <> <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Crivens!" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "I got sommat!" <> Spike says, "What? What is it?!" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Shack on a river, bug ol' missile boat. Two people, keepin' distance an' sendin' co-ordinates." Encore spots the Komar-class missile boat. He drops a little lower, closer to the water to try and remain even more hidden. He frowns, zooming in with his optics, keeping the boat on his left. <> He says! << I got something! Shack on a river wit' a bug ol' missile boat, refitted. Nae missiles on it... cancel, it looks like there might be a couple left on. >> <> Imager says, "Okay roger that" Spike squeezes the upholstery on his own side and grits his teeth "I'm totally fine with that plan of avoidance - " Imager chides, <> Some kid with a garden hose runs around with it, she swerves around it. <> Encore's radio comm goes through Imager's dashboard so all parties can hear the recon. <> The engine roars again as she hits a cool fifty miles an hour. <> The scene pans back a little as Imager drives on a cliff-side road, showing a picturesque part of the island, and before you know it, the three have gotten within viewpoint of the converted missile-ship. <> Her solar panel extends from her fairly non-descript parking spot overlooking the area. A tiny hologram shows the passengers the same thing she sees with a bit better optics than their own eyes. << If these guys are in charge of it all, I mean, I could distract em and you two could jump em? Assuming you don't mind gunfire, which...well, I would mind it a lot if I were in your footpads. I'm willin to assist ya iffin you have a better idea.>> <> Imager says, "I'm piping radio through my radio, so uhm. (she fudges Bludd's name as she didn't listen to it) *shkkckkk* and Spike can both hear us plan." As Imager and company get close to the base, the two standing on the dock stop their conversation, and begin to look around as they hear the noise of a vehicle approaching. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "A'reet, gud t' ken.... buggerit I think ye been rumbled!" Spike looks at Imager and his face pales (moreso than his usual pale expression). "Jump? Uh...sure." He's fine talking smack to Decepticons, that's easy. But when it comes to human-to-human contact, he's probably been in about five fights in his life, including schoolyard tussles. Encore's pilot hologram frowns as he sees the men start looking around. <> He radios. << I'm gonna stay back here an' stay hidden, unless yez wanten' me to get in close?>> THe big Autobot gets closer, trying to remain unseen, but it's getting harder. Bludd studies the hologram Imager's projecting. "If there're only two of 'em, won't be a problem. And it stands to reason that if they're sending the boat full of TNT in to be detonated, they won't have anybody aboard it." He frowns as the people in the image seem to become alert, as if they've noticed something out of the ordinary. He looks over at Spike. "We should get outta the truck before somebody comes looking for us." He unbuckles his seat belt and opens his door, hopping out and heading to hide in the nearest cluster of jungle vegetation. Spike nods and hops out, and crouches down, following Bludd to the vegetation. "So...knocking someone out, just like the movies? Swift blow to the back of the head? Or is it like the temple better?" he whispers. The pair seem to have relaxed a bit, and resume their conversation. However, they warily eye the road leading to the clearing now and then, and one checks his watch. Imager remarks, <> She slows as she rounds a turn, enough that Spike and Bludd should be able to manage the exit at an easy pace, barely five miles an hour. The jungle breaks, though she's still a bit out. <> A few forms flicker into existance, <> The holodriver flickers into place, a large woman with pink hair and a thick, athletic physique. <> Bludd smirks at Spike's mention of the movies. "Somethin' like that. I'll tell ya what: if you're not so crazy about ... jumping... these guys, you can stay hidden here, or," he gestures in the general direction of the tractor, "you can go be a crazy noisy distraction over there someplace. Otherwise, just stay close behind me." Spike nods and says in a quiet, determined voice, "Honestly, whichever one that you think I'll best contribute to the mission." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "D'ya want me to get closer?" <> Imager says, "uhhh....me? I honestly have no idea how I'm going to distract these guys." <> Imager says, "but I dunno how getting closer with aircraft weaponry's going to help" October 24th, 1962 Part 2 When we last left our intrepid heroes, they were about to pounce upon the revolutionaries plotting to trigger WWIII. The two are still rather wary, but have resumed their wait for what seems to be a pre-arranged time, as one keeps checking his watch periodically. Sit-Com idles off to the side, ready to do his part as they try to prevent a potential catastrophe. He notes on his mini-tv that most of the TV shows he's picking up are black-and-white. "Ahhh, the classics," he muses wistfully. <> Encore radios. << I dinnae wanna have t' dae it that lood way. Crivens! Nae tellin' what effects it might have...>> <> The big Autobot adds. <> "Indeed... that would be visible for miles." Prime replies. "Hmm.. my radar is picking up a vessel coming into range. It appears to be a freighter of Russian design if my memory serves. This may be their target. They may depart quickly; if you have a plan to stop them, now is the time." Prime says. "We need to accelerate our plans.. let us separate them and their boat. Sit-Com, get aboard the boat and get it started out to sea. Imager, provide a distraction as best you can to get their attention off the dock. Once the boat is headed out to sea, Sit-Com, get off as soon as you can. Encore, once it is safely away from shore, send it to Davy Jones' Locker, as the humans say." Prime sends. Encore's pilot hologram nods, stroking his chin. <> He radios. <> <> The Ballast Tractor that is Imager continues its lax pace towards the dock, the road is clear enough that its obvious the vehicle's on route. As her holodriver was a rather similar framed GI JOE agent she had seen in the distance once, a stout, tall, woman by the name of Alexsandra Zaryanova. The Russian connection really didn't even cross Imager's processor, its just how things had turned out. The ballast tractor crosses the chain link fenced area of the docks, then slows to a halt about sixty feet away from the two men. <> Imager says, "sooooooo any idea on radio detonation or timers, anyone?" "Roger Dodger," Sit-Com replies, and speeds over to the craft in motorcycle mode, does a jump that would Evil Knievel wince, and transforms to land on the deck, whereupon he finds a hatch to sneak into. The motorcycle splits apart and re-forms into the jovial form of Sit-Com. Let the laugh track begin! The two men are quickly distracted by Imager's coming through the fence, but their shock is quickly replaced by awe at the woman sitting in the driver's seat. A couple of wolf whistles, and they start to head over to check Imager out. "We didn't know Fernando was sending a beautiful woman with the explosives!" one says. The other shakes his head in agreement. "Oh seniorita, once we get this mission for the fatherland done, we must have a drink!" <> Imager says, "Well........." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Welll....?" <> Imager says, "uh, I've got their attention" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Shiny!" Encore still lurks offshore, watching everything through his optics. <> The holoavatar and the Cybertronian do share personality, the mannerisms of one generally reflects on another. So when these two guys start flirting with her holodriver, its a bit....unexpected. The driver gets out, standing six foot seven. Its no surprise why Imager chose such an imposing, stout figure, the two are very similar in stature. Holo-Zarya regards them for a few moments, then cracks a smile. In a decidedly non-Russian accent however, she says, "Sure...Sure....I have a message for you, but first." She reaches into the cab of the truck, and produces what looks to be a large odd-shaped fiddle. <> There was no explanation for why this mysterious woman suddenly chose to play the fiddle, (or vioello as the actual proper name is used). A poignant, trembling chord occurs, rolling across the dock. Even in a playback, she's a master of her craft, and rethinks about that old life, as her avatar plays and moves with the tune... <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Okay, Sit-Com, go go go! They're distracted, don't know how long it's gonna last." <> Sit-Com says, "gotcha" The Junkion sneaks around the ship, checking in every nook and cranny. "Nada. Nega-nega-tory," he says over the comms. <> Imager says, "Uhhh what?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "No bombs on board? Well without a boat they can't let the bomb off, right? Correct me if I'm wrong boss, but if we sail the boat out now and sink it, that puts a shitter in their plans. Anyone see a flaw?" <> Optimus Prime says, "This may be a lucky break. Get the engines started, Sit-Com, get that boat out of there." The two men are infatuated with Imager's avatar that the fact she is playing a fiddle doesn't seem to phase them, in fact, they get into the music. One turns to the other. "A musical send off to our demise. It doesn't get better than this!" Eh it could be worse, these two were gullible louts who really hadn't a clue what they were up to. <> She adds, <> Zarya raises up her knee as she hits a high note, its a beautiful song, and now that she can stop talking, Imager can focus back upon it. Oh her life.....back then, it was so grand... What could've been... <> Sit-Com says, "gotta find the steering wheel." <> Imager says, "might be too teeny, mebbe find the engines themselves? They probably are easy enough to figure out, I mean *snort* its pre-condensed protonic energy, it can't be that hard" <> Sit-Com says, "'kay" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Ey! I'll have ye ken MY engines still run on combustion. Och, aye, it's energon-catalysed but I still -technically- run on jet-A, lass." <> Imager says, "its actually weirder that I CAN understand you now" <> Imager says, "so you're telling me that you have to fuel up on gasoline....and you've been that way pre-visiting Earth?" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Not gasoline... but I've allus had a combustion component tae flight mode's power." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "'s how Fans and I have been able t' get our lifting power from, back in the smugglin' days. Dinnae get me wrong, lass, modern powerplants are more efficient, an' y'git more bang fer yer buck... but if y'need raw power, burn sommat." <> Imager says, "I think yer justifying your whole distillery operation, heh." "The vessel is approaching quickly, we need to get that boat out of there." Prime sends. "The distraction won't keep them busy for long once they realize the time." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "C'Mon Sit-Com!" Sit-Com finds the engines and fiddles with them until they start up. Well being a Junkion means being a mechanic, most of the time. The engines start up and the craft starts moving! The two men are snapped back into reality when the boat starts up and pulls away from the dock without them. Completely forgetting about Imager for the moment, they run for the boat, as it pulls far enough away that they can't jump to it. "Ay caramba! What happened?" The other looks back to him, "Don't look at me, it must be ghosts!" The C-130 stays low - though no doubt the boat heading his way will reveal him in all his American-marked glory to the would-be kamikaze bombers. He's low, trying to stay off the radars of both the Russians and the Americans - although that's all going to vanish once he has to make his attack run on the boat. <> <> She has to cut the song short due to the scene before her. There's an audible coughing sound from her holodriver, enough to get a moment's attention. The figure smirks, then says simply, "Boo." The holodriver disappears. That small solar array extends out of the tarp-covered bed of the tractor...and then a tangible energy tether snags at the closest man to the ship and moves to hurl him. Its not all that powerful, but could probably sling a man a good thirty feet if so inclined. Imager is, indeed, inclined. (Yes that sentence had perfect alliteration in it) A hatch opens in the boat, and there's a SPLOOSH as a Junkion dives off and into the water below. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Prime! Sit-Com's jes' bailed, d'ya see him?" <> Optimus Prime says, "I see it. Take it out, Encore!" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "A'right!" The two men turn around and watch as the avatar vanishes, their eyes getting as wide as dinner plates. As the one is grabbed and flung towards the water, the other lets out a blood curdling scream and runs off down the road screaming in gibberish about ghosts. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Y'did say the bomb wasnae on board, right?" <> Imager says, "(gives the classic 'i dunno' sound)" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "I'm gonna be lightin' up an all radar screens within fifty miles... I wanna sink th' boat as fast as possible. If there's nae bomb on board I can do tha' a lot quicker by jes' letting fly wit' the lot. If the bomb's on board I gotta hole it wit'oot blowin' th' bomb up. Please confirm! Prime, d'ya have sit-com on board." <> Imager says, "Imma go round up Spike and whatshisname....it occurs to me we don't have much of an exit strategy" <> Sit-Com says, "I'm in the briny depths" <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "I ken tha! Is the bomb on board the boat?" <> Sit-Com says, "didn't see one, so nope" Optimus Prime heads to pick up Sit-Com. "Sink that boat, and our mission should be complete!" Imager chortles to herself, <> Eyeing the now departing ship, she starts a slow, low-maneuverability turn around to meet up with the humies involved. <> Her voice catches, <> Encore suddenly appears on any radar that might be scanning the area as he pops up to around a thousand feet. Admittedly the radar will have to be pretty close, but he's not going to be reading as a boat anymore. He climbs to altitude, the hologram shielding his guns shimmers and fades away, the big Autobot placing the Russian missile-boat on his left wing. There's a pause, followed by the heavy, plosive thump of his 105mm artillery cannon going off. It's followed by the repeating thud of his 40mm bofors, blowing holes in the boat even before the big gun's shell has landed. There's a rasping, rude noise as his 25mm gatling gun wakes up. <> Encore replies. <> <> Imager says, "Oh...right" <> Imager says, "heh, duh" As Encore's onslaught slams into the boat, it quickly ceases to be a boat, and instead becomes a debris field. The only explosion is the fuel tanks as they are struck, but it is minor compared to what could have been possible. With the boat sunk, there is a slight rumble in the air, as if static electricity was building around the immediate area. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Mah compass is gaen banzai" <> Imager says, "I'd really like for us n them to all learn the same language some day...mebbe six more eons down, ya know?" What occurs out to sea is just framed by Imager's retreat down the cliffside road with Spike and Bludd in tow. She's actually driving safe at the moment, and not being a chatterbox. There was a nagging feeling in her processor as she departed. Was it that whole nonsense about destiny? Was she meant to be here or just came along for the ride? These thoughts would consume her days ahead. <> Imager says, "Okay I've gotta just say this" <> Imager says, "so...." <> Imager says, "I mean...." <> Imager says, "we saw no 'outside timeline' involvement right?" Encore drops back down to near ground level, hoping to appear as nothing more than a glitch in the radar. He keeps an eye out for any ships vectoring in his direction, staying low to the ground. His pilot hologram reaches forward to tap his glass cockpit display as the compass begins to spin wildly, stopping as the backup water-ball compass begins to go crazy as well. Closely followed by his other instruments. His pilot, copilot and engineer holograms all look at eachother, before strapping in. All throughout his frame, his other crew holograms do the same. They're a strange idiosynchracy that nobody's actually asked him about; he has them on even when he's just around other cybertronians. <> <> Optimus Prime says, "I think we may have been successful..." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Sommat's sendin' us back t' fix shit gaen wrong." <> Imager says, "buh....okay hold on, I really hope this....goes right,.....and who keeps humming that tune? (quantum leap music)" The rumble instensifies, and suddenly electric blue portals form and envelop the time travellers. As before, it appears they are flying through a kaliedoscope of colors, and as they travel, their forms reverting to their normal state as they are deposited in their original locations, seemingly at the exact moment they departed. <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Oh bugger here we go 'gain!" To outside observers, Encore aborts his usual perfect approach to Autobot City for no apparent reason, banking off and pulling into the pattern. He stays in the circle for a long while as he checks over his navigational data, making sure everything that seems correct. <> He radios. <> Just before he cuts contact, he can be heard muttering 'harmless my oversized arse...' Imager is pulled through the portal pretty much the same way she was before, in her altmode. Even as she passes through, her mode shifts again back to her Cybertronian style. The horizon is flipped again, and without a chance to curse, she lands upside down on the tarmac of Autobot City. After recovering, she sits there for several moments, a frown on her face. Something was bugging her. All alone...well at least without any company, she stands back up. A large arm draws her shield from off her back. The Femme stares at it for several moments. With a weak expression, she says to nobody in particular, "Oh smelt...I can't leave a song unfinished." The shield transforms...into her vioello, that strange otherworldly instrument that she had devoted her life to at one time. She tucks it under her chin and draws her bow, playing the song she was broadcasting earlier. And in this moment, there's a bit of solace. Maybe it didn't matter if destiny played its hand today. All one could do was soldier on anyway... <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "Ey Lass. You want a slot on mah radio? More folks should play music, and people'll prefer tha' t' mah pipes." <> Imager says, "..........just let me finish this." <> Suicide JOCKEY! Encore says, "A' course. Je's sayin', I can get you a wider audience in th' future. 's pretty stuff... tune intae 55.5 FM when you can." Category:Once Upon a Joe TP Category:Logs Category:1962 Category:2017